This blog combines the best elements of Mel Phillips Now And Then & Mel Phillips Remembers with the focus on Now and a look back at your favorite memories...

Friday, August 10, 2007

Friday-Sunday, August 10-12, 2007

The I-man checks in...I swapped e-mails with Don Imus yesterday. Imus is at his ranch in New Mexico and says he will return to New York in September. Now don't read anything into that other than he'll be back sometime next month. I can't tell you that he'll be back on the air then because obviously he's not ready to make an announcement quite yet. For months I had been trying to reach the I-man to send not only my support but best wishes from some of the folks we had on the staff at WNBC when I was program director there in '76-'77. Although he didn't say so, I'm sure he appreciated that support. It had been years since we corresponded and he figured I was about 80 years old by now. I assured him that was not the case. We wished each other well and he said he considers my blog as being "very cool"...The name of another "I-man" surfaces in my Commentary below...10 Timeline Memories:

1885] A streetcar not named Desire: The 1st electric streetcar to be used commercially was operated in Baltimore by Leo Daft. You would have to be daft to operate a streetcar...

1921] Polio strikes: Franklin D. Roosevelt is stricken with polio at his summer home on the Canadian island of Campobello...

1945] Raising the white flag: Following their second nuclear bombing, Japan announces they will surrender to the U.S...

1948] Smile, you're on 'Candid Camera': 'Candid Microphone' which will become 'Candid Camera' one year later, debuts on New York's ch. 7 (WJZ-TV which will become WABC). Here's a typical scene from CC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSf1GppmthQ ...

1969] Bodies discovered: The bodies of the LaBianca's (Rosemary and Leno), victims of Charles Manson's murder spree are discovered...

1977] Son of Sam: Postal employee David Berkowitz a.k.a. "The Son of Sam", is captured and arrested in Yonkers (NY). He will be sentenced to 6-consecutive terms of 25 years to life for killing 6 people on his killing spree...

1984] Tripped and clipped: Mary Decker trips on the heels of Zola Budd in the Olympics with an outsider winning the race and a gold medal...

1985] Platinum plus: Madonna's "Like A Virgin" becomes the 1st LP by a female artist to be certified for 5 million in sales...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

Congratulations to Dan Ingram, one of 5 new members of the National RadioHall of Fame Class of 2007. One of the best Top 40 personalities in radio history, Big Dan was behind the WABC mic, making us laugh for 20 years. He made his debut at WABC in 1961. He spent the last 12 years of his career at WCBS-FM. Big Dan is entering the Hall with Jerry Coleman, the late JimmyDurante, the late Richard Durham and Jazz piano great and former radio host Marian McPartland. The one-hour induction ceremony on November 3, 2007 will be carried on ABC Radio and Fox News Channel at 10 pm (EST) on that date...

1934] The Rock: Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay, receives federal prisoners for the 1st time. Get ready for the 'Birdman', mates (8/11)...

1965] Watts explodes: 34 are killed and more than 1,000 injured during rioting in Watts (8/11)...

1969] For Sale...SOLD: The Boston Celtics are sold for $6 million. The highest price for an NBA franchise at the time (8/12)...

1972] "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley file for divorce. They married in May of '67 (8/11)...

1972] A good morning Viet Nam: The last American combat ground troops leave Vietnam (8/12)...

1981] The 1st PC: IBM rolls out the 1st PC (8/12)...

1984] Not funny to the Russians: Ronald Reagan jokes: "today we have signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." (8/11)...

1994] Strike 3 - You're out: Major league baseball players go on strike rather than allow team owners to limit their salaries. The strike lasts 232 days, cancelling the World Series for the 1st time in 90 years (8/12)...

2006] "Happy Trails": Former talk/variety show host Mike Douglas dies on his 81st birthday. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1990 but was considered cancer-free when he dies from unknown causes (8/11)...

1966] Farewell Tour: The Beatles begin their final tour of America in Chicago. At a press conference at O'Hare, John Lennon apologizes for his statements comparing the Beatles with Jesus Christ (8/11)...

1967] Making their debut: Fleetwood Mac make their stage debut in Great Britain at the Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival (8/12)...1969] Diana Ross invites 350 guests to the Daisy Club in Beverly Hills to unveil her new discovery: The Jackson Five (8/11)...

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About Me

Mel Phillips Now & Then is more Now. The Then always follows the Now. Prior to starting 'Remembers' in 2005 and 'Now & Then' on April 7, 2008 I enjoyed a multi-media career which included being one of the Bill Drake program directors. I was involved in the programming of such legendary stations as WOR-FM, WXLO-FM, WNBC, WRKO AM & FM and KQV. I was also General Manager of Hooper Radio, played disc jockey in markets such as Tampa, Nashville, Norfolk and Atlantic City and enjoyed marketing success in syndicated radio for several companies including ABC, MJI and United Stations. My background also includes the music business where I promoted such diverse CBS acts as The Clash, Gloria Estefan, Loverboy, Judas Priest, George Michael & Julio Iglesias. In Special Programming at WCBS-FM I wrote and produced numerous specials and interviewed some of the biggest recording stars. In addition to this post I'm a regular contributor to Radio Daily News. My wife Diane and I reside on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and I'm very proud of my children, Robert Phillips, Lynn Phillips Brough and granddaughters Allyson and Amy...